vectrix

Electric scooters may get a kick-start from an unusual source: The NYPD. Starting in January, four scooters will be added to the city's police motor fleet. Though their number hardly makes for a revolution, the Vectrix scooters (the first plug-in vehicles legal on any highway or road) are part of a larger mission to green the department. Already, it boasts a number of hybrid and flex-fuel cars.

We've covered Vectrix's stateside arrival in the past. An $11,000 price tag puts it out of the reach of most consumers, but if the NYPD test is successful, it may popularize the scooter enough to help bring down the cost. Meanwhile, the department insists long-term fuel savings will offset a higher price.—Abby Seiff

Via CNN

The Vectrix, a new all-electric motor scooter, is getting some press in the Bay Area, where it's being billed as an environmentally-friendly commuting vehicle. The bike, which plugs into a wall outlet and recharges in two to three hours, has a top speed of 60 miles per hour, and decent range: A Vectrix executive estimates that it will go for 60 miles at about 45 miles per hour.

These all-electric, no-emissions scooter are already a staple in some European cities, but it might take a lower price tag for the Vetrix to catch on here. At $11,000, the bike is far more expensive than similarly-size, gas-powered models. So, while you're saving serious money at the pump - it costs pennies per gallon - that initial price forces you to play catch-up. Still, if a company's going to try to sell people an $11,000 all-electric scooter, San Francisco's probably the place to do it.—Gregory Mone